Tuesday, October 19, 2010

‎"Why is a raven like a writing desk?" - “Alice in Wonderland” by Lewis Carroll

‎"Why is a raven like a writing desk?" I have been thinking about this riddle for the past few days after watching the latest Disney movie “Alice in Wonderland”. I suppose I have seen this riddle before when I first read the storybook during my schooling days but I never bothered to think about it or attempt to solve it.

Here is my attempt to solve this riddle.

Both are places where messages are written on. A desk is for us to write on, a raven is for God to write on. Not only in "mythology" but also in reality in the Bible, ravens are carriers of messages or warnings from God.

God wrote His commandment on the raven to feed Elijah and away the ravens flew following God's commandments to feed Elijah......

1 Kings 17:4 "And it shall be, that thou shalt drink of the brook; and I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there."

1 Kings 17:6 “And the ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and flesh in the evening; and he drank of the brook.”

Regarding this riddle from "Alice in Wonderland" - among some other people's attempt to solve the riddle, here are some samples (you can google it to see the rest of the samples): -

1) "Because the notes for which they are noted are not noted for being musical notes".2) "Poe* wrote on both" ...* ["The Raven" is a narrative poem by American writer Edgar Allan Poe, first published in January 1845.] In the days of Lewis Carroll (1832 – 1898), the most common place to write something on is on a desk. Be it a short note, a message or to the elaborate drafting of legislation and etc. There might be somebody who may be seen writing on the floor / wall or some other place with a flat surface. Unlike today, you write using computers, mobile phones, on computer softwares, internet discussions forums, facebook “wall” and etc. How far has mankind progressed to a stage where we can play god writing on “Walls” in cyberspace…… But what exactly do we write about most of the time? Practically 99% of wonderland NONSENSE……Let us read some Bible verses to see what other places that the Lord Most High, creator of the heavens and the earth wrote His Commandments upon. Among the many places, here are some samples; Wall of a king’s palace, tables of stone, in our hearts so that we may not to forgetand of course, the raven.

Exodus 34:1“And the LORD said unto Moses, Hew thee two tables of stone like unto the first: and I will write upon these tables the words that were in the first tables, which thou brakest.”

Hebrews 8:10"For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:"

Jeremiah 31:33"But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people."

Daniel 5:5“In the same hour came forth fingers of a man's hand, and wrote over against the candlestick upon the plaister of the wall of the king's palace: and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote.”

Daniel 5:6“Then the king's countenance was changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against another.”

Daniel 5:25“And this is the writing that was written, MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN.”

Daniel 5:27“TEKEL; Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting.”

Daniel 5:28“PERES; Thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians.”

Even animals such as the raven are able to follow God's commandments without fail, what about us who are sons and daughters of God? Not only do we constantly seek NOT to follow our Heavenly Father's / God's commandments but also attempt to continuously vex the Lord with our nonsensical rebellion and empty words. Shame on us.

Malachi 2:17"Ye have wearied the LORD with your words. Yet ye say, Wherein have we wearied him? When ye say, Every one that doeth evil is good in the sight of the LORD, and he delighteth in them; or, Where is the God of judgment?"